A Vancouver man appeared in court Friday morning to face charges of attempted murder in connection with a shooting Sunday that injured a 21-year-old man.
Robert Deanda, 18, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of attempted murder, first-degree assault and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to the Vancouver Police Department.
Detectives with the agency’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Neighborhood Response Team worked with the Southwest Washington Regional SWAT team to make the arrest.
The shooting occurred at about 10:20 p.m. at the Springfield Meadows apartments, 4316 N.E. 66th Ave. in Vancouver.
Police arrived to find a 21-year-old man with a gunshot wound. The shooter had fled the scene prior to police arrival, Vancouver police said.
The victim, Antonio Caton-Murillo, was taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, where he was rushed into surgery, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in support of the charges. Hospital staff said Friday they could not confirm if he was still a patient.
When interviewed by police, Caton-Murillo said that he was at his apartment with co-workers, packing up a woman’s belongings, when three people knocked on the door asking for her, according to court records.
The documents do not state the woman’s relationship to anyone involved in the case.
An argument ensued, and the three people left. Caton-Murillo then closed and locked the door, according to the court documents.
A few minutes later, Caton-Murillo walked a bag of clothes to his car and saw a group of men standing outside.
He said he heard someone say, “Pull the gun out,” then heard gunshots, court documents state, and he began to run toward his apartment. Caton-Murillo said he felt a sharp pain in his back and realized he’d been shot, the document reads.
A friend of Caton-Murillo who was also outside during the shooting, said he heard a bullet pass right next to him, according to court documents. He is named as the victim of the alleged first-degree assault.
Detectives identified Deanda as a suspect and found him Thursday afternoon.
Upon interview, Deanda claimed that a man had threatened his friend with a knife, so he pulled a semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and shot several times in the direction of the men, but not specifically at anyone, according to court documents.
During Friday’s hearing, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Patrick Robinson said that because the shooting was in an apartment complex, there might be more victims.
Deanda’s criminal history includes a first-degree robbery conviction in 2014 and convictions for minor in possession of alcohol, fourth-degree assault and first-degree theft in 2012, according to the court documents.
Judge Robert Lewis set Deanda’s bail at $500,000 and scheduled his arraignment for Aug. 9.
